In ancient Egypt, a shopkeeper discovered that he could attract customers to his shop simply by making changes to its environment. Modern businesses have been following his lead, with more tactics（策略）.

    One tactic involves where to display the goods. Foe example, stores place fruits and vegetables in the first section. They know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy more junk food（垃圾食品）later in their trip. In department stores, section is generally next to the women's cosmetics(化妆品) section：while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe, bored customers are likely to wander over cosmetics they might want to try later.

    Besides, businesses seek to appeal to customers' senses. Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping, they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day. Music sells goods, too. Researchers in Britain found that when French music was played, sales of French wine went up.

    When it comes to the selling of houses, businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decision in the first few second upon walking in the door, and turn it into a business opportunity. A California builder designed the structure of its houses smartly. When entering the house, the customer would see the Pacific Ocean through the windows, and then the poll through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $10 million houses.

    The researchers say a person loses two months for every kilogram overweight they are— and seven years for smoking a packet of cigarettes a day.

    Unusually, the Edinburgh university team found their answers by analysing differences in people's genetic code or DNA. Finally they think it will show new ways of helping us to live longer.

    The group used the genetic code of more than 600, 000 people who are taking part in a natural experiment. If someone smokes, drinks, drops out of school and is overweight, it can be difficult to identify the impact of one specific unhealthy behavior.

    Instead, the researchers turned to the natural experiment. Some people carry mutations(变异) in their DNA that increase(食欲) or make them more likely to put on weight, so researchers were able to compare those programmed to eat more with those who were not. The research team also found specific mutations in human DNA that alter lifespan (寿命).

    Mutations in a gene (a set of instructions in DNA) that is involved in running the immune system could add seven months of life on average.

    People with a mutation that increased levels of bad cholesterol knocked eight months off lifespan.

    A rare mutation in a gene—APOE—linked to dementia reduced lifespan by 11 months.

    And one that made smoking more appealing cut lives by five months.

    Dr Joshi says that while genes do influence lifespan, “you've got even more influence” through the choices you make. Dr Joshi said, “We hope to discover genes affecting lifespan to give us new information about ageing and construct treatment tor ageing.”

    There are also some disease mutations that clearly affect lifespan and to destructive effect, such as the Huntington's gene. People with Huntington's often die in their 20s.

    However, in order to follow people until the end of their lives, many of the people studied were born before 1940.

    Learning to set goals plays an important role as your child starts to gain independence. However, setting goals doesn't come naturally to your child, so helping him to learn the process should probably be one of your goals.

    Explain the word “goal”．Your child may know what a goal is when it comes to soccer, but he may not understand what it means in everyday life.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Listen to your child. Ideally, you want your child to be able to decide for himself what his goals are.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Let him talk about what he thinks he does well and what he thinks needs to improve. If he's stuck, you can provide some examples of your own personal goals.

    Help keep goals achievable. Don't throw cold water on your child.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, if your child wants to be a champion swimmer, but can't swim an entire lap of the pool yet, you can suggest he start by making that his first goal.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Help your child write down his goals in an easy­to­follow form.Being able to see and check off the steps on the way to his goal is the key in keeping him motivated.A really simple way is to have your child draw a ladder on a piece of paper, writing his goal at the top and each step to that goal on the rungs (梯级)．{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A．Change goals every so often.

B．Make a visual goal reminder.

C．Don't always tell him what you think.

D．He's climbing to the top as he gets closer to his goal.

E．You can take sports as an example to help explain it to him.

F．Once he has set up a goal, he may find it very difficult to achieve it.

G．When a goal is beyond his reach, help him break it down into smaller pieces.

    With all the wars, fighting and sadness in the world today, it's not only necessary, but also essential to have a good sense of humor just to help us get through each and every day of our lives. Putting a smile on someone's face when you know they are feeling down in the dump, makes me feel good and warms my heart.

    How would you feel if you could not joke around with your wife, husband, child, co-worker, neighbor, close friends, or even just someone that you are standing in line with at your corner store? I am always saying things that make others smile or laugh, even if I don't know the person I'm joking around with. My Grandma always found humor in everything she did, even if it was the hardest job anyone could imagine. This not only relieves stress in any situation, but also is common courtesy(礼貌)to speak to others that are around you.

    I know of a few people that don't have a funny bone in their bodies, as they say. Everyone around them could be rolling on the floor after hearing a great joke and they would sit there without the slightest smile on their face. They don't get the joke that makes others laugh. I am busting a gut while they just sit there, looking at me as if I were from outer space. How can people not get a really funny joke?

    Laughing is essential to keep your stress levels under control. Without humor we would find ourselves with a lot of psychological problems, or on a lot of medications to keep us from going crazy. There is too much sadness in this present world. It drives people crazy. We all need to find a way to ignore the sadness and bring a little light into our lives. So, I believe our best medicine is to get together and tell some jokes and have some fun laughing together.

    Some people think working overtime means you're a hard worker. You have to sacrifice your personal time to stay at work, produce something, help the company, and be a more devoted employee. But is that right? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. This means it takes you longer to produce something than someone else.

    A good manager knows how to encourage his employees to work to their full potential instead of expecting them to work late even if they don't have something to do. People who stay in their office until late hate their jobs. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Overworking may negatively influence the level of productivity and efficiency(效率). Any company that makes their employees work those hours is not being managed well. The fault lies with management, who should take a good look at themselves. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. And the boss would prefer you work efficiently 7 hours and then go back home than 8 hours with poor efficiency.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. The fact is the competition is so fierce that if you don't work hard someone will easily and willingly replace you, especially in the IT industry. Employees are told they need to work longer hours or they don't belong or are denied promotions. It is time to abandon the culture of overworking, to work smarter, more efficiently and have a balance with personal life.

    Nowadays, it's hard for a young person to build a good future, for pressures are on his (or her) shoulders: housing, children, parents, themselves, etc. But everyone must keep working hard to have ourselves on the way to the good future, which is not certain. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. No one wants to work overtime.

B. The boss thinks highly of overworking.

C. Working too many hours only means you are inefficient.

D. And it affects their performance, as well as other aspects of their life.

E. What's sure is that if you're lazy and don't work hard, no good future will come.

F. Managers believe that overworking is an evidence of devotion from their employees' side.

G. In many countries, overworking would be criticized because it reflects poor work efficiency.

    There is a large percentage of Asian people in the US. They're hard working, respectful but strange sometimes. If you don't understand the culture, you will get some problems with them. Asian people are different from any other cultures if you think you know them, you might want to think again.

    How are they different? When it comes to most Asian culture, respect is everything. You can do anything you want but don't disrespect an Asian man. You will get some real consequences afterward and especially if he is your boss. It's something called face saving in the Asian culture. It's ridiculous sometimes but it's their culture. Sometimes their culture can come in between their relationship at work. Asian people might expect a lot of respect from their co-workers when their co-workers just see them as an equal.

    Americans are very different from Asian people. If you're Asian, you might want to understand the American culture and even adapt to their culture if you work with them. It will be easier for you since you're in their countries. Imagine an American working in China, expecting Chinese co-workers to get along with him when he criticizes them straight out on every single matter in front of everyone. I think they will take him outside and take care of him. It just doesn't work that way with Asian people.

    If you're an American boss giving your Asian employee a review, you will see that they will have a problem with your negative remarks. They will think that you don't like them, disrespectful, and want to get rid of them; when in fact, you're just doing your job. You just encourage them to do their work better. Of course, it's not fair for you as an American boss but just expect that it can be something that is on your Asian employee's mind.